Folding gate



(Nb Model.)

I J. H HENNING & J. E. SOI-IMID.

FOLDING GATE.

No. 596,327. Patented Dec. 28, 1897.

gates of that class which are composed of es- NITED STATES JAMES H. I-IENNING AND JOHN E. SCHMID, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,327, dated December 28, 1897.

Application filed October 1 5, 189 '7.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.- v

Be it known that we, JAMES ILHENNING and JOHN E. SoHMID,citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Folding Gates; and we hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in sentially vertical bars or members, and which are designed to open and close horizontally.

Our invention consists in improvements in the construct-ion and operation of the various parts of which the gate is composed, whereby we Obtain a greater accuracy and increased rigidity of the gate.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a'view showing the gate extended. Fig. 2 shows it folded. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through line yy of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end view of the lower end of the gate.

In the construction of this class of gates it is usual to employ a series of vertical bars which are variously connected by diagonal arms and so arranged-that they may be extended or opened out to form the gate or closed up together to occupy a small space when the gate is opened.

These gates when of considerable size are diffioult to make rigid, and in the usual construction the spaces between the 7 vertical bars when the gate is extended are sufficiently large for the passage of dogs and other small animals.

It is the object of our invention to so construct the gate as to make the openings in the extended gate as small as possible and to provide for a great rigidity to resist torsional strain. For this purpose the vertical bars which we employ are made of T-iron, as shown at A A, having the fiat face A, which represents the top bar of the T, in the line of movement in which the gate opens and closes. The shank or body A of the T extends at right angles from the center of the part A and thus produces a very rigid construction for the bars without additional weight. Through the body portion A of these bars are punched a series of rectangular openings at close to the transverse part A of the bar,

and through this transverse portion, in line Serial No. 655,272. (No model.)

with the body portion, are made holes which serve to receive rivets, and these rivets pass through the peculiarly-bent diagonally-disposed bars B. Two of these bars cross each other in each of the openings a, and the upperends of the bars are pivoted to vertical bars G, which lie intermediate between the main bars A A.

The diagonal bars B have their lower ends pivoted to clasps D, which inclose and are slidable upon the bars 0. Thus one pair of bars, which are fulcrumed to two adjacent bars A, have their upper ends meeting one of the bars 0 at an acute angle and are pivoted to said bar, while the other two bars 13, which cross the first-named bars 13 and have the same pivot-points on the bars A, extend downwardly and are pivoted to the slides D. The four bars which cross each other upon each of the adjacent main bars A thus connect with the intermediate bar O,so as to form a diagonally-shaped outline, the upper end of which is so connected with the bars 0 that the latter are movable up and down when'the gate is closed together or extended, and in thus moving up and down the bars 0 slide through the inclosing clasps D with which the lower ends of the arms 13 are connected, and the latter simultaneously move in the opposite direction. By crossing these bars upon the flat surfaces of the bars A and making them turnable upon rivets which form the pivots the stiffness of the whole gate is very greatly increased, since the flat surfaces of the bars A, against which the diagonal bars B are turnable, prevent in a large measure the twisting of the gate, while the central ribs A, standing at right angles with the fiat surfaces, prevent any bending of these bars in that direction.

The pivoting of the ends of the bars B B to the vertically-slidable intermediate bars 0 and the slides D, with which the lower ends of the diagonal bars B" connect, moving closely upon the bars (J, add to the general stiffness of the. whole structure.

The lower ends .of the bars 0 stand'at such a point that when the gate is fully opened these bars extend nearly or quite to the bottom guiding bar or channel, in which the lower ends of the bars A are movable. This guide E is shown made of channel-iron, and

rollers F, journaled upon the lower ends of the bars A, are adapted to travel in this channel when the gate is opened or closed.

Every alternate barA may have a bearingroller journaled upon it according to the weight of the gate.

As before stated, when the gate has been ext-ended the movement of the diamondshapcd cross-bars forces all the intermediate vertical bars 0 down until the lower ends are approximately within the channel E, thus forming a very close arrangement of the vertical bars of the gate, while the diagonal bars by their position close up the intermediate openings, so that very small space is left for ingress or egress.

A peculiar construction of the diagonal bars B is shown at the crossing-points b, where the bars are bent in a reverse curve, so that the upper and lower portions are out of line with each other. This peculiar construction allows the upper portion of each bar to close against one side of the central rib A of the vertical bars, while the lower portion in a similar manner closes against the opposite side of the same rib, as is well shown in Fig. 2. This allows the bars A to close together, so that the edges of the fiat portion A can abut, while the diagonal bars B can, by reason of the bend Z), fold up against the opposite sides of the central ribs A and be closed entirely within and between the bars A A. The bars C are likewise included between the central ribs of the bars A, and when folded the gate is exceedingly compact.

The end bar A of the gate has pivots G at top and bottom which are adapted to turn in suitable sockets or holders, so that when the gate has been closed it may be turned around tlatwise against the wall, presenting the fiat faces of the bars A, which, as they are closely united together, form a smooth flat surface.

The guide-channel E, in which the rollers of the bottom of the bars travel, is jointed, as shown at E, so that when the bars of the gate A have been closed together the section of the guide E exterior to the joint may be turned up against the vertical exterior side of the exterior bar A, and a slot e is made in the closed end of the channel E, which fits over the edge of the bar A to make a close fit. A pin 9 upon this upturned end is then engaged by a hook II, the opposite end of which is pivoted upon the innermost of the bars A, and the whole is thus locked together.

In order to stiifen the gate when it is opened or extended, we have shown bars I both upon outside and inside of the vertical bars A, which they thus inclose. The outer ends of these bars I are pivoted to the extreme outer bars A, and the meeting ends of the bars I are pivoted together upon the outside and inside. \Vhen the gate is closed together, these bars turn about their pivot-pins at the outer ends, the center extending upwardly in the form of a letter A. When the gate is extended, these bars drop into an essentially straight line and fall into latches 3 upon each side of the central vertical bar A. These latches thus hold them rigidly in place. An open lug K is formed upon one of these bars at such a point that it drops down in line with the corresponding latch on the central bar A, and a hole being made through each these holes coincide, so that it is only necessary to introduce the bar of a padlock through this hole to lock the gate in its extended position.

In some cases the tops of the bars A are finished in an ornamental fashion and in other cases the upper ends of these bars may be adapted to travel in a horizontally-disposcd guide L, similar to the guide E at the bottom, in which case this guide may be made ornamental to any desired degree.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-- 1. The improvement in folding gates, consisting of the vertical bars made T-shaped in transverse section having slots made through the central leg, diagonally-disposed bars cross ing each other within said slots and turnable upon pivots therein, the ends of these bars extending upwardly and downwardly upon each side of the bar to which they are pivoted, intermediate vertical bars lying between the main bars to which the upper ends of each pair of meeting diagonal bars are pivoted and slides to which the lower ends of the corresponding diagonal bars are pivoted, said slides clasping and being movable upon the intermediate bars.

2. In a folding gate, the vertical T- shaped bars having slots made through the central leg, diagonally-disposed bars crossing each other and pivoted within said slots, said bars having a reverse curve made upon each side of the pivot-point, whereby the upper and lower portions are thrown out of line with each other so as to fold against opposite sides of the central leg of the main bars, intermediate bars with which the upper end of two adjacent diagonal bars are pivoted, slides with which the downwardly-extending arms of the corresponding adj accnt pair of diagonal bars are pivoted, said slides clasping and movable upon the intermediate vertical bars whereby the latter are slidable vertically so as to allow the gate to be closed or extended.

In a folding gate, the vertically-disposed T- shaped bars having slots made through the central leg, diagonally-disposed bars crossing each other pivoted within said slots, intermediate vertical bars to which the upper meeting ends of the pairs of diagonal bars are pivoted, slides to which the lower ends of the corresponding diagonalcrossing bars are also pivoted, said slides clasping and being movable upon the intermediate bars, brace-bars arranged in pairs to press against opposite sides of the main vertical bars having their outer ends pivoted to the exterior bars of the gate,

their meeting ends pivoted together, latches joint where they meet in the center whereby projecting from the central vertical bars so that the hinged bars are brought into an approximately straight line when the gate is extended and caused to engage with said latches to form a brace for the gate.

4. In a folding gate, the vertical T-shaped bars and the intermediate vertical fiat bars, diagonally disposed bars pivoted in slots made in the main vertical bars and having their upper and lower ends respectively pivoted to the flat intermediate bars and to clasps which are slidable upon said bars, said diagonal bars being reversely curved at their pivot points whereby they are foldable closely against opposite sides of the vertical T- bars, bars extending upon opposite sides of the main bars of the gate against which they contact, said bars being pivoted to the exterior vertical gate-bars and having a pivotthey may be folded when the gate-sections are closed together and latches with which they engage when the sections are extended, a channel-iron-guiding track upon which rollers at the lower end of the vertical bars are adapted to travel, said track'having a joint by which it is enabled to fold and lie alongside the exterior vertical bar of the gate when the latter is closed together, a catch upon said foldable section and a latch extending across the gate-bars adapted to engage the catch and lock the whole together.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

JAMES H. HENNING. JOHN E. SOHMID. Witnesses: S. H. NoUnsE,

J ESSIE C. BRODIE. 

